How to Build an Edge Around a Swing Set

Edging a swing set gives it a cleaner look.

Backyard swing sets are great for getting children out into the fresh air without the hassle of driving to a playground or park, but they can wreak havoc on your yard. Covering the area beneath and around the swing set with soft wood chips or sand helps provide a bit of cushioning for active climbers, but they don’t stay put without some sort of edging to keep them contained. Soft rubber edging is not only safe for children; it’s a snap to install.

1

Figure out how much edging you are going to need. It is best to keep edging at least 6 feet away from your swing set on all sides, but this is a guideline, not a rule. Rubber or poly edging comes in 10-foot or 20-foot lengths.

2

Use balsa wood stakes and string or powdered chalk to lay out exactly where you want your edging to go. This is especially important if you have a very small yard or one that is irregularly shaped or not level. You need to see how the edging will look before installing it permanently.

3

Make adjustments to your initial design if necessary, to make sure that your layout is safe, attractive and won’t impede traffic in the rest of your yard.

4

Break up the ground where your edging is going to go, using the tip of a spade. This is not necessary if you have very soft or recently turned dirt.

5

Lay out the rubber edging along the pattern you’ve already laid out. Place a stake every 5 feet or so on straight stretches, and every 2 to 4 feet on curves.

6

Dig a trench that is at least 1 inch wide and 4 inches to 6 inches deep where you intend to lay the rubber edging. Start with a spade and then deepen the trench with a flat-bladed shovel.

7

Stand the rubber edging up and press it straight down into the trench that you have dug. Make sure that the edging is going straight down into the ground, not at an angle.

8

Pound the stakes through the guides with a mallet. Make sure that the heads of the stakes are flush with the rubber edging so that children will not be injured if they fall on the edging. Trim pieces to fit spaces shorter then the standard length of the edging with garden shears, if necessary.

9

Support the edging by back-filling the trench. Use a spade to fill in the trench and your foot to stamp down the loose dirt. This helps ensure that the edging will not shift as the ground freezes and thaws, or is soaked and then dries out.

Things You Will Need

Balsa wood stakes

String or powdered chalk

Spade

Rubber edging

Garden shears

Mallet

Tip

Soak the ground in water if it is too hard to sink the edging in easily.

Warning

Never leave your mallet or stakes where young children can reach them.

About the Author

Emmy-award nominated screenwriter Brynne Chandler is a single mother of three who divides her time between professional research and varied cooking, fitness and home & gardening enterprises. A running enthusiast who regularly participates in San Francisco's Bay to Breakers run, Chandler works as an independent caterer, preparing healthy, nutritious meals for Phoenix area residents.